Richter Farms - The Best Raspberries In The Country !

Nestled in the fertile Puyallup Valley of Washington State, George Richter has been growing ultra premium quality raspberries for more than forty years. Raspberries grown on the Richter Farm are bigger, redder, more fragrant, and more delicious than any other raspberry on the planet. Touted as the best raspberries in the country—not only by the New York Times but also by Ruth Reichl of Gourmet Magazine—these precious berries are now available at discriminating food shops across the country. The season at Richter Farms only last for a few weeks and after that these raspberries will be just a memory of this years summer.

Maremma - The Real Bistecca Alla Fiorentina !

For most people the Italian region of Tuscany is all about the city of Florence and the rolling hills of the Chianti. But the Tuscany actually offers other regions that are equally attractive for exploration. For starters, the Tuscany sports many, many miles of Mediterranean coast line with lots of little beach towns that are less known and therefore often much more authentic then the overran Lidos on the Adriatic side. But there is an other—still little known—region on the Southern side of Tuscany, that you need to know about. The Maremma; an area consisting of parts of southern Tuscany, partly coincident with province of Grosseto area and some part of northern Lazio. Grosseto can be considered the capital of the Maremma. The area around Grosseto and the coast, with Marina di Grosseto, Castiglione della Pescaia and the small villages that lie in the plain between the city and the coast, represents the heart of the Tuscan Maremma. Here it is where you will find the Italian version of a cowboy. Like in the French region of the Camargue, where you will find the Gardians on their beautiful white horses attending to the semi-wild bulls they breed, the Maremma is populated by the Butteri—Italian cattle-breeders who use horses with a distinctive style of saddle and traditional driving sticks to manage their livestock. The Maremma is definitely one of the most beautiful and still unspoiled regions in Italy where ancient traditions have survived and Tuscan culture is preserved to this day. Whilst there may be a romantic and touristic side to the Butteri driving their cattle, a little know fact is that this is where the beef for the original "Bistecca alla Fiorentina" comes from. The Butteri breed two sorts of cattle—"Razza Chianina" and "Razza Maremmano"—both which are amongst the oldest breeds of cattle in existence today. It is from the ox of either one of these two breeds, that a Porterhouse steak is cut to prepare the true "Bistecca alla Fiorentina". Amongst the Foodies you will find a wild argument, whether a "Bistecca alla Fiorentina" is made from a T-Bone steak or from a Porterhouse steak. The Italians really do not care much about these English steak cut terms. What I can tell you for sure is that nowhere in the Maremma will they serve you a "Bistecca alla Fiorentina" which is not at least two and a half pounds and they sometimes get as big as four pounds. The T-Bone cut comes from a part of the loin where the tenderloin side of the steak is rather small and in order to make it up to size, this steak would have to be cut way too thick. The Porterhouse comes from the part of the loin where the strip and the tenderloin part are at maximum diameter and therefore just perfect for a real "Bistecca alla Fiorentina". Another myth associated with the preparation of a "Fiorentina" is the believe that the meat needs to be drenched in olive oil and seasoned it with Rosemary, garlic and salt. If you ever want to prepare one of these all you need is a charcoal grill, as hot as you can possibly get it. Leave the steak out for at least 6 hours to bring it up to room temperature. Just before you put the meat on the grill, you give it a good hand of large grain salt on both sides. Some will argue, that salting the steak before cooking will draw moister out of the meat. Whilst that might be true in other cases, this does not apply to the "Fiorentina". Both, the Chianina and the Maremmano beef are very low in fat content. Therefore a "Bistecca alla Fiorentina" is always cooked fast, short and served rare. Maybe medium-rare, but that is as far as this goes. The meat is put on an extremely hot grill and literally is charred on both sides only for a very short period of time. It will be only turned over one time. Therefore the salt will help the fast caramelisation that is very important for this steak. Charred and dark on the outside and rare on the inside is how you want this steak to be served. Once it comes off the grill only a premium extra virgin olive oil is applied too it and that's it. Please do not put things like garlic and Rosemary on it. These things will overpower this delicate steak and ruin the pure enjoyment that otherwise makes this the unmistakable "Fiorentina" experience. Give the meat a good rest. Then cut both sides of the steak off the bone and cut them against the grain. Put the meat back together with the bone and serve it on a plate. Thats how the "Fiorentina" magic will come out. Traditionally only "Fagioli Cannellini all'Olio" (white beans) and 'Insalata Arugula" (rocket salad)are served with this steak. The best place to eat one of these is actually in the Maremma. It is a magical place!

Robert's Steakhouse - X-Rated N.Y. Strips !

For certain offerings, living just somewhere in the US is not good enough. You have to be in New York City to encounter this type of enlightenment's. Though I must warn you; This post maybe leaning slightly towards the male audience, it may also be misunderstood as chauvinistic and it is most certainly dedicated strictly to the to the hardcore carnivores amongst us. If you picture a guy, a real guy that likes steak--lots of steak--and also does not shy away from taking a peak at nice female curves every now and then, well then you are looking at the target group for Robert's Steakhouse in NYC which actually is part of a gentlemen strip club. The Penthouse Executive Club is most probably one of the few venues on this planet where a man (and/or woman) can enjoy the epicurean pleasures of a great steak whilst admiring beautiful female nakedness. No, no do not dismiss this so easily. This is not one of these dark places where it is all about the ladies and the menu is more of an excuse to pass as a gastronomic establishment instead of just an adult entertainment place. On this one I'm backed by people as serious as Jeffrey Steingarten. He is a well known culinary critic and columnist for the likes of Vogue magazine and Slate and has written books like "The Man Who Ate Everything" and more recently "It Must've Been Something I Ate". He commented after his night out at the strip club; "The best steak dinner in town--the meat could not have been more flavorful, tender or juicy, and grilled to that precise point of perfection between rare and medium rare-while a beautiful young dancer just eight feet away moved with energy and originality". If that is not enough to make this a serious dinner option yet, how about Alex Witchel that wrote for the NY Times;"One of the clubs biggest hits is its steakhouse, where customers can carefully enjoy aged beef prepared by noted chef Adam Perry Lang. His steaks--on the plate-- are exquisite and packed with flavor." The Penthouse Club even won the 2004's TIME OUT NY Award for Best Indoor Scenery and Robert's Steakhouse was nominated Best Steakhouse in NYC. Located on the club's posh mezzanine level, Robert's Steakhouse's features a truly top-rated cuisine by Chef Adam Perry Lang and offers its patrons a 2,000-bottle wine cellar. Amongst the meat options are dry-aged premium steaks cut to order and also Kobe beef. And like in any other great steakhouses, they offer all the classic appetizers and beautiful side dishes that we all come to love. I hope that you ladies are not too mad, that I turned hubby onto this dinner venue, but after all this maybe just what was needed to bring you along for the experience!

Kluge Estate - A Premium Virginia Winery !

Talking about vineyards on the East Coast is becoming less and less of an eyebrow lifter as more and more quality wines come from that region in the US. Off course the main spotlight is and remains on California for a long time to come. That I find myself talking about a premium winery estate in the State of Virginia is still surprising to me. Established in 1999, the Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard has aspired and quickly become one of the East Coast's most prestigious wineries. Patricia Kluge, the founder, owner and chairwoman of Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard, planted her first vine in 1999 at her estate, Albemarle House. Her dream was to create a world-class winery in Charlottesville, Virginia and also to develop a genuine wine region. Today, Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard has become one of the largest wine making facilities in Virginia. The Monticello Appellation, particularly Patricia’s corner of Albemarle County, is also making a name for itself on the global wine map. The Kluge Estate benefits from excellent natural conditions as a result of reliable seasons and the geographical lay of the land. The quality of the soil, position of the vines and their exposure to the sun produce a high quality crop. Harvesting is done by hand.Adjacent to the vineyards is a beautiful farm shop, offering Kluge Estate's fine wines and delectable foods. Offerings include some of Virginia's finest agricultural produce and products. Their Executive Chef highlights the seasons of Virginia with delectable American cuisine using locally grown produce. For sweets, executive pastry chef Serge Torres is on hand to create exquisite desserts, baked goods, chocolates, confections, preserves, and chutneys, homemade with fruits from the Albemarle House orchards. The Kluge Estate is certainly a place to visit and hang out for a while. Meeting all the interesting people that Patricia has assembled around her to build this beautiful venue. And after all lets not forget that this Estate produces great and interesting quality wines.

The Kluge Estate 2002 New World Red is a Bordeaux-style blend made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It is smooth, round and soft, with notes characterized by toasted oak, currant and black cherry. The finish delivers a flourish of mocha and coffee.

The Albemarle Viognier 2005 is made Condrieu style and is 100% Viognier, aged for 8 months in French oak barrels. The result is a beautiful sphere of complex aromas and flavors: floral and mature exotic fruits on the nose and palate; a balance of ripe and dried apricots, notes of guava, lychee, and spicy flower perfumes blend with light smokiness, vanilla, and fresh tobacco from the French oak.

Feuille Verte - The New Olivier Creed Scent For The Men !

These days the perfume industry is dominated by international brands. Perfumes are part of the fashion trends just as cloth, shoes, hair and anything else. This leads to uniformity. Just when you try to make a personal statement with something as important as your smell signature, you will find yourself in an elevator with another guy that smells just like you. It may be refreshing to find out that there still exists a discreet family-owned perfume house dedicated to the creation of highly original fragrances of extravagant quality. Operating in Paris’ 8th Arrondissement, the House of Creed has been for many years one of the best kept secrets of the perfume world. Patronised by the rich, chic, famous--from Heads of State to celebrities from the film and music industries, Creed’s client list is an international Who’s Who. Over the decades the Creed family has produced two hundred original and hand-made fragrances for the exclusive use of their wealthiest customers. The House of Creed was founded in 1760 by James Henry Creed in London. Queen Victoria appointed Creed as an official supplier to the Royal household. Eventually Creed was adopted by all the courts of Europe: Napoléon III and Empress Eugénie of France, Franz-Joseph and Elizabeth of Austro-Hungary and Queen Christina of Spain. In 1854 the House of Creed moved to Paris . Today Olivier Creed, direct descendant of James Henry Creed, continues this great tradition as Createur Parfumeur of the House of Creed. He personally selects the purest rose essences from Bulgaria, Turkey or Morocco as well as Italian jasmine, irises from Florence, Tuberose from India or genuine Parma violets. Creed also manufacture their own essences using the traditional infusion technique, now abandoned as too costly by the modern perfume industry. Creed insists on using natural essences instead of the synthetic ones in order to preserve the originality and superior quality of the fragrances. All components are weighed, mixed, macerated and filtered by hand.

If you seek a truly unique scent for the gentlemen, consider Feuille Verte, the latest limited-edition Creed fragrance. Like all Creed’s Private Collection perfumes, they were originally created for special clients as their own personal scent. The Creed Feuille Verte is a fresh, sophisticated citrus fragrance with light, clean notes of mandarin, lemon and bergamot combined with peppery mint and sweet pea. It was originally created for the icon of debonair charm, Cary Grant, in 1955. It is produced in a very small number of 250 ml falcons. If you want to secure one you need to move fast and they ain't cheap either!

Truefitt & Hill - Grooming Blokes For Greatness For Over 200 Years !

Truefitt & Hill is the worlds oldest barbershop. They have been "grooming men for greatness" for over 200 years. Truefitt & Hill have given shaves to important faces like Sir Winston Churchill, John Wayne, Charles Dickens, Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, Alfred Hitchcock and Danny Kaye. William Francis Truefitt opened his first Gentlemen Barber Shop at 2 Cross-Lane, Long Acre London in 1805. Edwin Hill & Co. set up his barber shop at 23 Old Bond Street in 1911. It was to this address that H. P.Truefitt moved in 1935 to form what would become the legendary Truefitt & Hill barbershop. Over the decades Truefitt & Hill became the leading men's barber shop in the world with locations in London, Toronto, Chicago and Las Vegas. Over the last 200 years Truefitt & Hill have been involved in the production of premium men's grooming products like shaving creams, shaving soaps, shaving utensils, shampoos, aftershaves and colognes. All Truefitt & Hill products are unique; they each have their own decidedly masculine touch. I never met a guy--whether they shave wet or dry or not at all--that does not want to have a Truefitt & Hill Limited Edition Nickel Razor Set sitting in his bathroom. These things are as good as it gets. The Truefitt & Hill razor set is gorgeous and stands out like no other. Made of pure nickel, this Limited Edition razor sets new standards of refinement. The stand measures 8" tall, and is the final resting place for a perfectly weighted razor and badger hair brush. And the best news for all you Gillette Mach III blade slaves is that this razor is compatible with all the Mach blades! Check their grooming products out. I personally love their West Indian Lime product line. Incredibly good, smooth and with an a unique and exotic fragrance too it. Truefitt & Hill has provided discerning blokes with only the finest in grooming products.

JK Palace - The New Ori Kafri Event On Capri !

Although everybody--in one way or another--has heard about Capri, only few have ever been there and I still consider it a insider tip. I have been going to Capri since I was a little boy. I simply love this little but majestic Italian island. Surrounded by stunning azure sea, just off the coast of Naples, Salerno and the world famous Amalfi coast, this most beautiful rock on the Italian coast is blessed with a very mild Mediterranean climate, peaceful charm, semi-tropical vegetation and great history. Besides the natural blessings, this island prides itself of great luxury hospitality, incredible spa's, great culinary options and fabulous shopping. This is a place where a couple can spend a great time getting away. In the past I have been a die-hard QuiSiSana client. It is one of the greatest old world hotels that you will ever find. Now there is an alternative on the the island that cannot be ignored. Ori Kafri came to the island to open an outpost to his most precious JK Palace in Florence, Italy. Perched on the cliffs about 15-minute walk from the Marina Grande, the new JK Palace Capri makes the most of the beautiful Capri breezes overlooking the Capri bay and harbor. In classic boutique hotel style the JK Capri sports spacious rooms that are very individually furnished, mixing colorful, contemporary design with soft, luxurious materials. Fine Italian and Mediterranean cuisine can be enjoyed in the restaurant, or outside on the terrace. The JK has a beautiful foyer, decorated with framed black and white sketches just next to a a comfortable sitting room with fireplace. Here guests can enjoy tea or coffee as well as freshly baked pastries in the late afternoon. This is definitely a cool place that I will be checking out on my next visit to Capri. Everything that Ori Kafri touches is truly good. The Hotel Londra Palace in Venice is part of his little group too. I only hear the best about his hotel gems.

Pepper - There Is More Too It !

Like salt, pepper is another table top staples that everybody uses every day and almost nobody ever pays attention too. Most of the worlds pepper is grown within15° of the equator. It grows as berries on vines. Some of the highest quality pepper come fro India and Borneo. Both countries grow extra premium Tellicherry and Malabar pepper. Both Tellicherry and Malabar pepper come from the same plant. The Malabar corns size is noticeably larger in comparison with what you will commonly find in supermarkets sold as black pepper. The Tellicherry pepper corns are even larger. Only the largest 10% of all pepper corns are able to bear the name Tellicherry. The grading of pepper is serious business. In the Sarawak region of the island of Borneo, as in India, the local farmers use their knowledge gained over the centuries to grow pepper. While the size of a peppercorn is important, maturity is the most important factor. The larger pepper corns, like the Tellicherry and Sarawak, are better than the smaller ones. Less mature pepper can still be nice but it is that extra ripening time that makes pepper premium. One of the best source to get your different peppers online is Penzeys Spices. Go check their pepper selection out. They also do have a beautiful pink pepper which is a really attractive alternative to have in the table mill.

Shirataki - The Guilt Free Pasta !

Shirataki Noodles have recently come to the attention of people around the world. These days you will see Shirataki Noodles pop up in little plastic pouches in the vegetable departments of supermarkets all across the US. Shirataki Noodles are Japanese Noodles made from the roots of the Konjac plants, which grows all over the tropical parts of eastern Asia. These noodles have an extremely low caloric (40 calories per 8 ounces) or digestible content and consists of mostly beneficial, water-soluble dietary fiber called glucomannan. They do not have much of a flavor themselves, but due to their gelatinous consistency, they lend themselves for a nice mouth feeling. These noodles can be easily combined with any other ingredients, sauces and make great pasta for soup dishes. Shirataki noodles are packaged in liquid. When you open a pouch, empty the Shirataki Noodles out and rinse them well under running cold water. Do not worry about the strange smell that comes from the liquid in the pouch--the noodles will not taste like that at all. You will need to cook the noodles with whatever sauce, ingredients or soup you want to eat them with. Also they need a little bit more salt than "normal" pasta. The glucomannan fiber plays a role in blood sugar control, as well as produce improvements in cholesterol control and weight loss. These Shirataki Noodles are a great substitute for "normal" pasta. These noodles have given me a nice option to eat more pasta without being worried about the carb and calorie intake. Try them--you might like them. If you put a little effort into these, you can come up with great dishes! They comes as spaghetti and fettuccines.

Delicious - Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil !

For some reason I was never able to completely share the enthusiasm for olive oil. Like everybody else I do have a little selection of premium olive oils in my kitchen and do use them upon occasion. Most of the time there are better options, especially to use for cooking. Using oils as a condiment over salads, appetizers, vegetables and and to scoop up with bread, I feel that there are other options that literally bring more taste-depth and flavor-excitement to the table. One of these exciting oils come from a part in Austria that is known as the Styria. Styria is an Austrian State located in the southeast corner of Austria. It borders with Slovenia as well as other Austrian states. One of today's most important Styrian export commodities is the "Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil". It is made by pressing the roasted, skinless seeds of a local Austrian variety of pumpkins. It has been produced and used since the 17th century. The earliest confirmed record of pumpkin seed oils in Styria dates to February 18, 1697. The Pumpkin Seed Oil is dark green, syrupy with an intense, delicious and nutty taste. It is very healthy due to its richness in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Drizzle this smooth and rich oil over vegetables, grilled meats, pasta or use sparingly in vinaigrettes and for salads. You will be impressed with the experience. You can order online and get one of the original, famous local Styrian brands.

Ventura - Timekeepers Of the Future !

Ventura is a a young Swiss watch company founded only 17 years ago. At times watch collectors enjoy dropping the odd ironic remark about Ventura having no past but only a future. Ventura watches don’t pretend to draw on tradition, but they are very distinct from short-lived fashion trends; they are contemporary and truly timeless at the same time. Design at Ventura is never empirical, but always the result of extensive research concerning functionality and ergonomics. The entire output of mechanical Ventura watches is certified by the independent C.O.S.C. Institute as official chronometers. Ventura secures the future with a constant flow of technical innovations. Cases and bracelets made of Titanox® the hardened, scratch-resistant titanium, or Durinox®, a steel with the same hardening applied, are exclusive achievements that endow Ventura products with their unique longevity. With the development of the world’s first and still only automatic digital watch that does without a battery and the patented EasySkroll® operating system of the v-tec Alpha, Ventura has advanced to a market leader in digital watch technology. These high-quality products are entirely Swiss made. This latest Ventura model; The Ventura W14 SPARCrx Ltd is limited to 199 watches total. This special edition Ventura comes with a natural rubber orange strap. It is a truly unique watch and will become an instant must-have with all the watch aficionados out there. A watch says a great deal about its owner. People wearing Ventura watches are individualists who expect high standards of quality,reliability, and design. They are as unique as this watch that they are wearing. Truly not for everybody!

Colatura - A True Secret Ingredient !

You need to know about this clear amber liquid from Cetara, a small Italian fishing village on the coast of Campania. When the local fishermen catch anchovies, they salt them, stack them in chestnut barrels, and weight them with rocks. Months later, when the anchovies are removed, Colatura is glistening at the bottom of each barrel. It's intense stuff that has been a secret ingredient in Italian cuisine forever. If you have ever attempted to cook Asian food, specifically Thai food--no matter how hard you try, it never quite tastes like at the Thai joint. The difference is almost always fish sauce. Fish sauce is a very salty liquid condiment that smells really bad when opened. It is hard to believe that it actually makes anything taste better when added to it. The reality is that it is magical. Colatura is the Italian version of the Asian fish sauce that works every bit as magical as its Eastern counterpart. Colatura dates back to Roman times when the name for it was “garum”. A few drops of this stuff will make a any bowl of pasta sing and every good tomato sauce dance. It also makes a fantastic Caesar salad. Just add no more than 3 drops at the time to your Italian cooking and you will be surprised what happens!

2004 Aubert - One Of The Finest Chardonnay's !

Mark Aubert has been in the Napa Valley since the age of eleven. His father, a drug store owner, made Petit Syrah and Cabernet on the side. Mark graduated from St. Helena High and Fresno State with a degree in enology and a double minor in viticulture and chemistry. He then went on to work his way up to winemaker at Rutherford Hill, Monticello Cellars, Peter Michael, and Colgin, twice succeeding Helen Turley. Presently focusing on his own label with traditions deeply entrenched in Californian and Burgundian techniques, Mark has planted a 7 acre chardonnay vineyard on the Vine Hill appellation near Forestville-Sonoma, as well as another 6 acres of chardonnay and 1.5 acres of pinot noir at a vineyard down the street. And what a chardonnay Aubert produces! Absolutly steallar! There is no other way to express this. The Aubert 2004 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast Lauren Vineyard is light gold with a greenish tinge that shows real great body. Powerful nose of butter, sage and citrus in the glass. Absolutely marvelous! This is the definite insider tip of the year as far as chardonnay is concerned. Only 900 cases were made. If you find a bottle, make sure you go for it.

Faretti Biscotti Famosi - Liquid Italian Cookies !

If you like real Italian biscottis--well then you will love this Italian liqueur. Faretti Biscotti Famosi is made in a town in Northern Italy, near Lake Como, where the biscotti cookies are still baked in real fire brick ovens. This delicious biscotti liqueur is sweet and delicate with hints of nuts, citrus and anise. It is lusciously smooth in flavor and is sure to impress you and your friends. Try it with coffee, or, believe it or not, with a glass milk. One thing is for sure; This is a lady pleaser. It actually is a secret weapon. At the end of that meal or date--pull out a bottle of Faretti Biscotti Famosi and just watch what happens! And as always; You heard it here first.

Kishibori Shoyu - Premium Artisan Soy Sauce !

Shoyu in Japan is like olive oil in the Mediterranean. It is an indispensable ingredient in the Japanese cuisine. As olive oil is available in many different qualities, so is shoyu. Shoyu by the way is good old soy sauce. There are many shoyu producers all across Japan. The best, unique shoyu's are produced by small- and medium-size, family run breweries that continue to use only traditional ingrediants and artisan production processes. New York Mutual Trading, Inc,--an importer and restaurant supplier for Japanese products--has now introduced a high-end, pure, wonderfully flavored, artisan shoyu into the US market. KISHIBORI SHOYU is a premium soy sauce, manufactured by the Takesan Company located on the small island of Shodoshima in the Seto Inland Sea, between the main Japanese island of Honshu and neighboring Shikoku. KISHIBORI SHOYU is made only from whole soybeans, wheat and sea salt. The Takesan Company steames their soybeans in line with the old traditions and adds toasted wheat, sea salt and spring water. This basic brew is then left to ferment in old cider barrels for one entire year. The Takesan barrels are very well seasoned and have been in use for more than 100 years. The mild winters in the region encourages slow fermentation year around.This slow fermentation process create complex organic acids. These are essential for the excellent taste characteristics of the Takesan shoyu. Unlike mass-produced soy sauces, KISHIBORI SHOYU is not treated with any alcohol, preservatives or added salt.They filter the shoyu and then pasteurize it before it is bottled. When you pour KISHIBORI SHOYU use a white saucer and observe the color! Its flavor and aroma is incredible and has nothing to do with the stuff that you usually find on the table of your Japanese buffet. You will note that it is crystal clear with a slightly reddish-tinged brown color. As a matter of fact this soy sauce is so good that you can actually sip a little and roll it over your tongue. The flavor is round and rich and finishes with pleasant umami aftertaste. When you go to the Asian or Japanese store the next time, look out for the artisan permium soy sauces and do away with that other stuff that you are used too. Premium artisan soy sauces and

Real Wasabi

is the only way to go! Once you done that, you will never go back!

Bonny Doon Vineyard's - Magically Delicious Vinos !

Bonny Doon is one of my favorite vineyard's in California. It has a certain underground quality and his owner Randall Grahm sure does have a reputation for wackiness, but his wines are dead serious. You may get distracted by a Bonny Doon label which sure is not your usual gold-edged, flanged and waxed grocery store fare. Tattooed ladies, flying saucers, and monkeys in fezzes. Every label practically giggles; Buy me or don’t--I don’t care! I’ll have a good time without you. Randall Grahm had a funeral procession for the cork, when his winery went all screwcap. He has Fear and Loathing, Las Vegas artist Ralph Stedman which designs half of Bonny Doon's labels. This guy can actually make a Madiran and label it "Heart of Darkness". Randall is this guy that runs with the big boys but really remains the little guy. He describes Bonny Doon Vineyard's as the ones championing the strange, esoteric, ugly-duckling grape varieties of the world. All of this may be a little over the top, except for one thing; Bonny Doon produces magically delicious wines which usually come at real bargain prices! Also they have switched to biodynamically grown grapes in their own vineyards. You need to keep looking out for these wines. They feature all sorts of stuff that you wont find by anybody else. At this point I'd like to introduce you to two of Bonny Doon's bottles--one being a stellar Sryah for $16 a bottle and secondly a Dessert Framboise that comes below $20 a bottle and is amongst the best pairing bottles for anything chocolate!


The 2004 Syrah "Le Pousseur" Bonny Doon is a true stunner and at $16 a steal as well. This is a very serious and authentic syrah. One strongly senses that the Northern Rhône is not terroir incognito to this wine. This wine is endowed with rich tannins, smoky meatiness and a clear ping of wintergreen. The use of only coastal, cooler climate grapes preserves the nuance and complexity of this Syrah, which allows one to daydream without guilt of sexy, well proportioned, and sophisticated côtes blondes et brunettes.


The Bonny Doon Framboise is a true singular sensory frequency potion. It is all about raspberry and in order to adequately describe this genious Framboise we must find news ways of expressing what lies beyond the lashings of raspberry, the explosions of raspberry flavor and the eruptions of raspberry zest that come in this little bottle of dessert wine. Pour a nice glass of this concentrate and have it with some flourless chocolate cake and know what it is to sit under a banyan tree and contemplate new found enlightenment. Anything chocolate really!

Good Night Sleep - A Cup Of Milk!

Are you one of these people that like to drink a hot chocolate before going to bed or even believe that if you can't sleep a hot cup of milk could help? Well there is now a product that ties right into this. Dreamerz is the safe and delicious way to get a restful night's sleep without unpleasant side effects. For years, many doctors and mothers have recommended a glass of warm milk before bedtime to help soothe restless children to sleep. Now Dreamerz has added a unique combination of two safe, active ingredients scientifically proven to promote relaxation and sleep: Lactium®, a protein from milk for relaxation and Melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep cycles for sleep. In fact, in a recent study, Dreamerz helped people to fall asleep faster, wake fewer times per night and improve their overall quality of sleep without unwanted side effects. When used as part of your nightly bedtime ritual, Dreamerz is a delicious treat that will help you unwind and relax from the day, while preparing your body for the sleep you need. The best part about Dreamerz is that it really taste good. The product comes in three flavors--chocolate, vanilla and dark chocolate-mint.

Aubaine - Breakfast In London !

When the owners of Aubaine's came to London, they couldn't find the Parisian breads they liked, so they built their own boulangerie. Aubaine is a sophisticated, but relaxed re-invention of a French classic . They offer you the best breads and cakes money can buy in London. Their motto, Man certainly cannot live by bread alone, but, on the other hand, wouldn't want to live without it. Once you step into their store its all Paris; full of flair and light, fresh flowers and the delicious smell of freshly baked goods. French country furniture is mixed with urban, industrial finishes. In summer, the glass frontage folds back so Aubaine becomes a part of pavement life. It is like old Paris, but in the middle of London. And their is one more feature about Aubaine that you need to know about; Breakfast! This is one place you want to go for breakfast. The smell of freshly baked bread, a buttery croissant, that very first cup of creamy coffee, sturdy white porcelain and a newspaper--simple pleasures that make any morning a luxurious experience. Aubaine's breakfast follows the formula of butter croissant, pain aux chocolat, baguettes with home made jams and country butter, a grande crème or a mug of unctuous chocolate. Nothing better than starting an exciting day in London in a French bakery!

Bloomscape - Harvest Your Own !

Do you cook at home? Do you like fresh food and crisp food. Natural aromatics and herbs, rather then the good all McCormick? Well then you are just like me. You definitely need your own supply of garden fresh herbs and stuff. Most people don't have a garden or the time to attend to a garden. That's where Bloomscape comes in. These guys grow all sorts of stuff in miniature gardens and ship it to you, once you made an online order with them. Their pots are nice and yield a lot more, than does little plastic container of fresh herb the sell you at the supermarket. These pots also regrow and if you give them just a little care, there will be working for you for quite some time. They have a good selection from basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary all the way to little Italian tomato plants. These things are great and they will add a touch to your cuisine--not only for taste but they also happen to look good in a kitchen.